The present invention relates in general to high pressure pump systems and, more particularly, to a remotely-configurable high pressure fluid passive control system for controlling bi-directional pumps.
Richard Peter McCabe devised the McCabe Wave Pump, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,550. The McCabe Wave Pump consists of three rectangular steel pontoons, which move relative to each other in the waves. A damper wave plate attached to the central pontoon ensures that it remains stationary as the fore and aft pontoons move relative to the central pontoon by pitching about the hinges. Energy is extracted from the rotation about the hinge points by linear hydraulic pumps mounted between the central and other two pontoons near the hinges.
A related configuration to the McCabe Wave Pump is an “articulated wave energy conversion system (AWECS)” which is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2014/0008306 (Murtha, et al.); 2014/0158624 (Murtha, et al.); and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0091575 (McCormick, et al.), and all of which are owned by the same Assignee as the present application, namely, Murtec, Inc. of Glen Burnie, Md. See also U.S. Pat. No. 8,650,869 (McCormick). As shown in FIG. 1, an AWECS uses a plurality of pneumatic or hydraulic pumps P (hereinafter, “hydraulic” is used, it being understood that “pneumatic” is also interchangeable with “hydraulic”) that straddle the two articulating barges, a forward barge FB and a rear barge RB which are coupled together, e.g. by hinges. A damper wave plate (DWP) attached to a central barge CB ensures that it remains stationary as the fore FB and aft RB barges move relative to the central barge CB by pitching about the hinges. As an incoming wave makes contact with the forward barge FB first, the hydraulic fluid in the pumps coupled between the forward barge FB and the center barge CB are driven in a first direction; as the wave continues, the hydraulic fluid in the pumps P coupled between the rear barge RB and the center barge CB are driven in a second opposite direction. The end results are bi-directional hydraulic pumps P. The output of these hydraulic pumps P are used for water desalination or energy conversion.
Doug Hicks and Charles M. Pleass devised the Delbuoy wave-powered desalination unit, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,219; 4,512,886; 4,421,461, and 4,326,840. When the waves lift and then lower the Delbuoy wave-powered desalination unit, a piston connected to the bottom of the buoy drives a piston pump at the sea floor. The pressure created by the pump is strong enough to drive the sea water through a reverse osmosis filter, which removes salt and impurities from the water, and then to send the fresh water through a pipe to the shoreline, where it is tapped and used by people.
However, there remains a need for quickly and easily reconfiguring the operational modes of pumps depending on different scenarios which none of the aforementioned disclosures teach or suggest.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.